Sway With Me
by ass-sassin
Summary: Everything Satsuki Momoi does is dance – she lives and breathes to a certain rhythm. And so when the opportunity to join the stage staff at an erotic dance club arises, she can't turn it down – the only hitch… she has to keep it a secret from everyone. A life of lies, drugs, movement and music – and the journey only intensifies when an awkward officer is thrown into the mix.
1. Sway

Sway, shake… sway, shake… hip roll, body twist – leaaaaaaan back, hair flutter.

Her life revolved around movement.

When she was young – the movement of her best friend and his basketball.

In her teens, the movement of her own body.

Now, as a legal adult – the movement of her world.

_Akashi Naitokurabu_.

The business that her friend Kise was somewhat acquainted with – his modelling connections and all.

She applied for the job, and after a few performances, the boss decreed she was erotic and alluring enough to be a part of their staff.

She could only hope her family, nor her friends – never found out about it.

* * *

"Ugh. Big tits – who're you?"

Unsure whether to be flattered or insulted at the short haired woman's tone, Satsuki eyed the woman (barely a b-cup, she noted) sceptically.

"Momoi Satsuki. You?"

"Aida Riko. I'll be your partner."

"Okay."

* * *

"Oh, you bitch," hissed Riko, "your hip to breast ratio is perfect, you know that?"

"I do indeed," replied Satsuki smugly, jutting out her chest further to annoy her easily aggravated stage partner.

"Shut up. C'mon, let's practice one more time before our routine."

And what a routine it was – hip hop.

Baggy sweats, open tracksuit jackets and tight singlets.

Satsuki even had a hat to tuck her long hair into.

"Stop being so nervous," snapped Riko, "you shake your ass better when you're chilled. Here, have a shot."

Satsuki knew she shouldn't have been nervous – but it was her first performance, and she didn't want to fuck up (especially when the owner, Akashi, had announced he'd be watching from the upper levels of the club - all three levels of the club had a great view of the stage).

Finally- it was their turn.

When Satsuki and Riko stepped out, the stage was completely dark.

They stood with their backs to the rowdy crowd, waiting for the music to start.

"_That's a new girl!"_

"_Fuck yes, I'm so excited!"_

"_Shake that ass!" _

The spotlight flashed on as the song began, and immediately, Satsuki and Riko were in synchronisation.

From shaking their butts to lowering into perfectly timed twerks, the pair leapt and spun as the beat dropped.

Time meant nothing to the pinkette as she rolled her body, running her hands over herself as was expected.

The roar that went up when Riko snatched the hat off Satsuki's head was almost deafening to the performers, but the music only blared louder and they fell into their routine effortlessly.

Being the high class establishment that it was, the pink haired performer needn't worry about slipping on spare change as she commanded the stage, occasionally giving a boost to Riko so the acrobat could perform her tricks.

Despite the fact that only her hat had been discarded throughout the whole routine, the wild applause from the audience and even some screams from the female spectators was enormous. Satsuki had enough sense to strut off the stage before she looked like a bumbling fool.

Her individual routine was next.

Aha.

Sensuality.

That was Satsuki's talent – whether it be belly dancing, pole dancing, hip hop – any form of dance, and she could spin it her way, swish her hips and flick her long hair in _just_ the right way.

She was making her debut with a belly dancing routine – and she could only hope the somewhat old fashioned music didn't turn away the crowds.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped onto the stage, bare feet jangling with anklets, hips adorned in shimmering belts, a veil over her face.

* * *

Hypnotizing.

That was the only way to describe the way she moved, Akashi thought, watching his latest investment as she finished her first individual routine.

His calculating gaze swept over the captivated audience, a cold grin on his face as he saw people filming, sending texts, calling their friends to 'come and see this', the 'amazing dancer'.

He'd have to thank Satsuki later.

For now he'd enjoy her second routine – a slow, seductive pole dance.

* * *

Pole dancing was hard.

Her muscles were always needed to the fullest extent, and her concentration even more so.

Nevertheless, the music distracted her from the difficulty, and helped her focus on _performing_.

It wasn't until her third routine that she noticed the security guards being called in to push away the hands that reached out for her on stage.

* * *

Untouchable.

That's what she'd have to be – Akashi knew that much.

She was like special merchandise – if she was made human, made _real_ and _tangible_ – her appeal would disappear, his investment would go to waste.

Yes, he liked her and he loved the untraceable zone she entered as the music sounded.

Not once did she make eye contact with anyone in the audience.

* * *

"_Bite into me harder, sink your teeth into my flesh"_

She didn't try to sing along or mouth the words – that's not why she was on stage.

She was there to tell a story, to express everything she thought through her body.

* * *

"So, the Friday night taken over by the two girls, eh?" questioned Akashi's uncle.

"Yes. The gamble I took paid off."

Friday was one of the busiest nights of the week, after all – and putting only females (and one newbie, at that) – was a risk in itself.

But the crowds went crazy for the dynamic duo, men and women alike drooling over the pair.

Riko's firm stare, her hard lines, tanned skin, short hair and ridiculous acrobatics.

And the newbie – the long, pale limbs, soft curves, long tresses, half-lidded eyes.

She was Momoi Satsuki, and she was going to make Akashi a _lot_ of money.

* * *

Four months at _Akashi Naitokurabu, _and Satsuki was swimming in more money than she'd ever possessed in her whole life.

She moved into a new apartment closer to the club, bought herself a new car and even spent some money on some new outfits for new routines she was formulating.

"Holy shit, Satsuki," her navy haired friend whistled as he slinked into her new home, "what the hell kinda job makes you this much money?"

"Dancing professionally earns a lot when you're as good as I am, Aho," she grinned, throwing him a can of beer and nodding to the balcony, "Wanna soak in the Jacuzzi?"

Soon the two childhood friends were in the tub, sighing as the warm water relaxed them.

"I have a new partner," Aomine grumbled, "He's a fucking _baka_."

"Eh? What's he like?" yawned Satsuki, stretching.

"Hot headed. Impulsive. Tall – but I'm still taller-"

"Ha!" cried Satsuki, laughing, "Sounds just like you!"

"Fuck _off_, Satsuki!"

"Haha! Never!"

_**ONE YEAR LATER**_

They were celebrities. Riko was 21, and Satsuki was turning 20 in only a few weeks – but they had hit the status of stars.

The club became so busy that the two were forced to work some weekdays to train new dancers that were to perform on weeknights.

The duo's specialties were meant for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

It was her star status that had Satsuki on edge – if anyone of her family and friends decided to look up her name on Google, there was no doubt they'd be assaulted with details of her job, even quotes from some of the many interviews she'd been in.

And the images… the _images…_oh lord.

She could only hope none of them were curious enough to resort to google after all of her evasive responses when they asked her about her job.

Thankfully, her mother and father were travelling abroad for as long as they could.

It was only her ex-basketball team she really needed to worry about.

* * *

"_Momoicchi!"_ Kise's voice cried over the phone.

"What?" Satsuki groaned, still in bed.

"_Come to that basketball shop in Mall Street, we're all waiting!_"

"Fine. Be there in five," she yawned, not in the mood for dressing up.

A pair of sweats, a sweater and a loose bun later, she was out the door and on the train.

"Satsuki!" called Aomine from where he stood with Kise, Midorima and Murasakibara, "Tetsu's coming. But first-" he pointed to the crowd that had formed in front of the basketball store, "you're gonna street dance."

She raised an unamused brow, "Really? You lot don't even believe I have a rhythmic bone in my body – why do you want to see me dance all of a sudden?"

"We've never seen you dance, Momoicchi," whined Kise, pouting, "please?"

"Whatever," she shrugged, reaching up to snatch the hat off Murasakibara head, "I'll give this back later. Show me where it's at."

Painfully aware of the stares on her, and hoping that no one in this district really knew about her, Satsuki headed over to the clearing made for a pair of street dancers – one a guy and one a girl.

"Who's gonna challenge us?" shouted the woman, wearing something similar to Satsuki, "All you pansies too scared to risk your month's wage, eh?"

Stepping forward, Satsuki went to tucking her hair into the hat, "How's this work?"

"A challenger!" exclaimed the man, gathering more of a crowd, "You see," he began, stepping forward slowly, "these good people place a bet on you, or us," he gestured between them, "and we battle it out to see who wins."

"Uh-huh," nodded Satsuki, "and what do I get out of it?"

"The privilege of being beaten by us," laughed the woman good naturedly.

Though she should have been insulted, Satsuki could only smile – she liked the pair already.

"Righto. Tracks?"

The couple exchanged a look, "Random. Anyone have some music?"

A man – a very gangster-looking fellow – stepped forward and passed them his phone.

They plugged it into their dock and chose a song.

"Ready?" shouted the man to the applause of the crowd, "Let's do this, baby."

The beat started, and then the first lyrics, "_3, 6, 9 damn you're fine – move it so you can sock it to me one more time…"_

Satsuki nodded in approval as she watched the pair dance in synchronisation, they were impressive.

After about half a minute, they stopped and pointed to her as the crowd cheered.

Grinning, she began to dance, twisting her hat on her head, her usual sensuality coming through her movements.

Cheers and whistles – and then she looked back to the couple, who were grinning at the thought of a challenge.

The man began breakdancing as the woman twerked spectacularly.

Their part was over, and it was her turn again.

Hat still firmly on her head, she broke into handstand split, twisting artfully around while she swung her legs to gain enough momentum to spin in a circle.

The crowd gasped as she ended in a back bend, lowered herself to the floor and then performed a series of suicide kip-ups.

When she stood, she grinned at the look on her opposition's faces. They were smiling at her, nodding in sportsmanship as they spun back to back and began dancing once more.

And then it was her turn again.

"_Stop – oh – wiggle with it, yeah!"_

She began her twerk, jutting out her chest in time with the movement of her hips and butt, tearing off her hat as she went.

Her movements shook her long hair out, and she pivoted in a circle before nodding with the pair opposite her to have a final showdown in the last stretch.

"_Bend over to the front, touch ya toes, back that ass up and down and get low."_

They followed the instructions, Satsuki sure to arch her back and crouch in the way she did when she was doing pole work.

The pair stopped after two rounds, but Satsuki kept it up until the end of the repetitive verse, deciding to show the pair up just one more time.

She fell into a strange mixture of hip hop and breakdancing – but somehow she pulled it off and by the end of the song, the crowd was wild.

She headed over to the couple and gave them both a hug, congratulating them on their rhythm and talent.

She won, apparently, and even though the people who didn't bet on her lost money, the atmosphere was still crazy – almost as crazy as the club on a good night.

"What the shit, Satsuki?" Daiki exclaimed as she headed back to where her friends stood, awestruck.

Handing back Murasakibara his hat, she shrugged, "I told you I could dance – all you idiots ever seemed to care about was basketball!"

"Wow, Momoicchi, no wonder you've made so much money – that was insane!" Kise's excited tone had her laughing, too, "I wish we could come and see you at work!"

Smile now strained, she laughed loudly and didn't answer him.

Acutely aware of Midorima's sceptical eye, she looked to Aomine, "Where's Tetsu?"

Thankfully, she diverted the conversation from herself, and no more questions were asked.

* * *

Lying to the people who mattered most to her wasn't something Satsuki was comfortable with. It hurt to lie, to say her show had been cancelled whenever they asked if they could come watch, to say all the money she was making was from theatre performances.

It killed her every time her mother called, asking how everything was going – hurt when she had to lie and make up companies, make up shows and routines to tell her mother about.

When she met Imayoshi – she thought he could take the pain away.

He was the worst possible thing to ever happen to her.

An after party, a few pills – and she was flying.

She woke the next morning alone in her bed – and she cried and cried because she never thought she could be so stupid as to try something like that.

It was dangerous and so _not_ her.

But the Saturday night afterwards, he showed up again.

"Suki," he nodded as he entered joined her at one of their friend's private houses.

"Shoichi," she nodded, turning away from him as she called for another drink at the bar.

"Now, now, don't pretend with me," he laughed, an arm slithering around her shoulders, "I know you've hit a low. I'm surprised you're not on the floor sobbing, after the high you went on last time."

"Enough," she snapped, jerking away from him, clenching her fists as she took a seat at the bar.

"Come on, Suki," he grinned, smiling eyes kind, "one more – just to pick you up from this low."

And feeling as desperate as she was, she let him put the pill into her drink – and she downed it without a second thought.

* * *

It was Riko who saved her in the end.

Satsuki was at a stage where she couldn't eat, couldn't sleep – couldn't _dance_.

All she could do was make incisions on her ankles, hit her head on the wall, take another hit.

"_Oi, Satsuki," _came a voice from her home voicemail, "_where've you been the past few months? I know you're busy lately with work and all, but you don't have to ditch us completely."_

She went out with her friends every night of the week after that – and she was always out of it, always swaying slightly to a tune in her head, always _just_ missing something important they'd say.

When she didn't show to work three nights in a row, it was Riko who stormed over, Riko who found her passed out on the floor, Riko who called an ambulance and checked her into rehab.

And it was Riko who hated her most for it.

* * *

"You're despicable," spat the short haired woman as she stood over her partner.

Satsuki, who strapped into a bed, a cloth over her mouth so she couldn't bite herself, arms and legs pinned so she wouldn't kick or scratch herself – could only stare wordlessly at the older girl.

"What? Got bored with the fame?" growled Riko, "Couldn't handle the interviews?"

The woman on the bed tried to shake her head, tried to explain her predicament to Riko – but the bonds were too tight, the sedative medication, too strong.

"You know what? I don't give a _shit_ about how fucking _hard_ your life is," spat the acrobatic performer, "you almost _died_. All your talent, all the money, all your friends and family – did you want to wave goodbye to everything?"

A moment's silence, a stray tear.

"Fuck you, Satsuki. You're just lucky Akashi is nice enough to let you off for the few month's you'll be in here. Hopefully he'll let you back on stage."

As the door slammed shut behind her – Satsuki could only hope.


	2. Burn

Two whole months in rehab made it almost two years since she joined the club.

When she was released, she told her friends that she'd been overseas on a surprise trip, and tried not to let the guilt overcome her.

She trained hard to get back into the swing of dancing, used foundation to cover the scars around her ankles, and was grateful that the syringe scars in her arms were too light to be noticeable.

Her first reappearance on stage was a surprise to the audience, to say the least.

Akashi made the more money that night than he ever had before – and he realised that perhaps having Satsuki as fallible, as _human_, able to become victim to temptation like everyone else – made her more alluring than ever.

* * *

It was only three months away from her 21st birthday when Akashi spoke to her.

"Satsuki," he muttered, just before she was to perform, "I excused your mishap in rehab last time. One more slip up and you won't be working for me."

She nodded, and headed out, losing herself to the music.

* * *

If Kagami Taiga was anything, it was a good officer.

He was sharp, fast on his feet and determined.

So when his father, the owner of a prestigious down town club, asked him to scout their competing opposition, _Akashi Naitokurabu_, he supposed it'd be just like an investigation for work.

He showed up at the rowdy high-class club with Tatsuya, and awkwardly made his way to the bar, unsure of how to act.

He ordered their drinks from a bartender, wondering what all the commotion around the stage was about.

"First time here, eh?" asked the man making his drink.

Kagami nodded, shoulders hunching in an attempt at making himself invisible – he'd never really been comfortable in clubs, not even his own father's club.

"I'm taking him out," grinned Tatsuya, coming to the rescue as he thumped him on the shoulder.

"Ah. You're in for a treat tonight, my friends," smirked the man behind the bar, "the goddesses are here."

"Goddesses?" questioned Kagami as his drink was set in front of him.

He took a swig.

"You've never heard of them? They're practically celebrities in the elite world!"

The red haired man shook his head and finished his drink, noting that his adoptive brother was doing the same.

"Hurry to the front, if you want a good view," the bartender nodded to the stage.

Standing quickly, the officer was grabbed by the arm by Tatsuya and shoved roughly to the front of the crowd just as the lights began to dim.

The song began – and the lights flashed on as the beat dropped, and the invasive words blared over the speakers.

And the world faded for Taiga when he saw the pink haired goddess.

Wide eyed, jaw-slack, numb.

Hypnotized.

She spun around a pole on the right of the stage – and Kagami knew she had a partner on the left, but he had eyes only for her.

She didn't remove any clothing, nor did she pretend to mouth words, or attempt to sing.

No, she expressed her passion through the roll of her hips, a flick of her cascading hair, an upside down split.

And then she looked at him – right at him – and his breath caught in his throat.

Half-lidded pink met dark red, and it was a colossal collision.

* * *

"She looked at me – like, right at me," Kagami found himself spluttering as he and Tatsuya stumbled back to their seats at the bar.

"Ha!" laughed the bartender, "Momoi Satsuki does _not_ make eye contact with the audience, buddy.

But Kagami shook his head and took another drink. He needed to see her again.

* * *

It was almost closing time when Tatsuya left, proclaiming he had to report back to Kagami's father.

Taiga, on the other hand, somehow navigated his way backstage and was looking for Momoi's dressing room.

"Oi! You!" grunted a buff looking man down the hall, "What're you doing here?"

Rolling his eyes, Kagami shrugged, "I was looking for the bathrooms. Someone threw up in the other ones."

Luckily the man wasn't too intelligent, and so he shrugged and let Kagami pass – and then the red head spotted her room.

Quickly, as to not arouse suspicion from the guard down the hall behind him, he opened the door, spun into the room and closed it quietly behind him.

Letting out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, he turned to survey the room.

"What?" asked a pink haired woman from her seat at the dresser, a light blue cardigan over her shoulders as she surveyed him in the mirror.

That was when Kagami lost his professional cool.

"Uh – well- you see-" he stuttered, face slowly but surely turning redder and redder, "I – I saw-"

"Tch," she clicked her tongue, "spit it out, already."

"I think you're a beautiful dancer!"

At the 'd' word, she spun to face him.

"I-I think you're the most beautiful dancer I've ever seen."

"Yes?" she seemed eager, waiting for what he was to say next.

"C-Can you teach me how to dance?"

Where the hell did _that_ come from?

Kagami was so flustered and frustrated with himself that he literally face palmed right in front of her.

"I'm _so_ sorry, that was stupid as hell-"

"Okay," she said suddenly, "I'll teach you if you really want to know."

And she scrawled her number onto a piece of scrap paper and tucked it into his shirt pocket as she made her way out of the room.

"Than-"

But she was gone by the time he found his voice, and his heart was beating so fast and he really couldn't believe she was _real_.

He put the number into his phone as he left.

* * *

"Put down your goddamn phone!" cried Riko as they took a quick break.

Quickly checking her phone once more, Satsuki threw the mobile into her bag and spun to Riko, "Whatever. Come on, let's go-"

"What fucking idiot did you give your number to, hm?" asked Riko as she tapped her foot on the floor impatiently.

"No one," said Satsuki quickly, turning her back on her partner as she stretched.

"Cut the bullshit," snapped the acrobat, "tell me."

"Uh… just… this guy…"

"And?"

"Well… he kinds broke into my dressing room and asked me to teach him how to dance."

"You're a fucking idiot."

"I know."

* * *

"_Hello, Momoi Satsuki speaking_."

"M-Momoi-san, uh – th-thank you for picking up, it's really kind of you even though you don't really know me or anything and I really hope I didn't come off as weird because that's the last thing I wanted I just really think you're beautiful and – oh gosh I sound like a creep."

"…_is this the guy that broke into my dressing room the other night?"_

"Y-Yeah. About that, I'm sorry – but I just had to ask you-"

"_What's your name?"_

"K-Kagami Taiga."

"_Alright, Kagami-san. Meet me at AIDA dance studio tomorrow evening."_

"O-Okay, Momoi-san."

* * *

Satsuki waited patiently for her student to appear.

Leotard on, shoes off, she put her music on shuffle and twirled around the mirrored room effortlessly.

The door opened, and a figure stepped in behind her, but she didn't stop her movement until the song was over.

"Hello, Kagami-kun," she said, looking at his reflection in the mirror.

"H-Hi, Momoi-san," he greeted, awkwardly rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Call me Satsuki," she smiled, taking his bag from his shoulder and setting it beside her.

"Okay."

She took him through some stretches, trying to ignore his broad shoulders, so easily seen through his tight singlet.

His sculpted body was unlike anything she'd ever seen – and that was saying a lot, seeing how she had danced with many male partners before.

"Now, what did you want me to teach you?" she asked, sitting on the floor in a split as she watched him.

"S-Sensual dancing," he blurted out with some embarrassment.

"Aha. Okay, we'll begin small," she said, "show me how you dance."

She reached for her phone, still in a split, and pressed play.

Awkwardly, Kagami stood, and – to Satsuki's utmost surprise – began breakdancing.

She whistled lowly at the tricks he pulled, grinning.

"Wow," she applauded when he was done, "you've got great potential. Firstly, though, you've got to learn to roll your hips."

She stood and showed him a breakdancing move in her style, being sure to roll her hips into a crouch and pop her chest as she stood.

He gave it a try – but he was too focussed on not embarrassing himself that he ended up embarrassing himself.

His teacher laughed and shook her head, "Kagami-kun, you've got to be _careful_ about it."

Her explanation had him at a loss, and so she elaborated.

"Treat every movement as though you're making love to someone. You've got to _feel_ and be _encompassed_by your need to seduce, to be tender or rough or however you usually make love."

His face was redder than his hair by that point.

She put on another song, and sat on the floor to watch him.

Slowly, he began to dance again – but was stopped when Satsuki came to stand before him, and grabbed his hips, "Maybe I should start with teaching you _how_ to roll your hips first."

Kagami felt like he was going to faint.

She turned her back to him and grabbed his hands – and _placed them on her waist_.

Her shirt rode up, and he could feel the silky, soft skin of her hips.

Struggling not to tug her to him and hold her there, he copied the roll of her hips with his own.

"Gentle," she commanded, "you need to roll, not jerk."

He tried to follow her instructions, but in the end she spun around to face him and grabbed _his_ hips.

"Like this – bend your knees and accommodate for how I pull you, okay, Kagamin?"

He noted the nickname, but merely nodded and let her hands guide him.

* * *

She tried to ignore how good his hands felt on her.

* * *

He tried to remain unfazed as the sweet peachy scent of her hair reached him.

* * *

"You did well, Kagamin!" Satsuki praised him as they were putting on their clothes.

"Thanks, S-Satsuki."

Smiling kindly up at him, she held open the door and let him walk out of the dance studio before her, locking up behind her.

"So," she began, "where'd you learn to dance like that?"

Looking up to the darkening sky, Kagami sighed, "America. I spent most of my childhood there."

"That's amazing!" Satsuki cried, looking up at him in awe, "I've never left Tokyo."

Kagami spared her a nervous smile, but said no more.

"Where do you work, then?" she asked after a few moments as they were nearing the car park.

"Police Department. But I used to be a firefighter."

She nodded as they reached her car, "Well, I'll see you this time next week?"

"Yeah. Thanks for agreeing to this."

"My pleasure, Kagamin!"

* * *

He was addicted to the lines of her body, addicted to her smell and her laugh and her name.

* * *

She found herself liking the sound of his nickname on her lips.

She found herself warm whenever their fingers brushed.

She found excuses to touch him in some way, every lesson.

* * *

"Hey, Kagamin," she called as he was getting to his car.

"Yeah?" he called back.

"Would you like to come over?"


	3. Crash

He stared around her home in appreciation – it looked much like his apartment, but with a distinctly more feminine touch.

"Come upstairs, Kagamin – I should have some spare swimmers around somewhere."

"Spare swimmers?"

"Yeah," she said to him over her shoulder as she walked up the stairs, "my friend always crashes here and leaves his shit around, lazy _aho_."

A little tense at the mention of a male friend, Kagami said nothing.

They reached her bedroom, and Kagami found blood rushing to his face at the smell of her everywhere.

He tried to keep his eyes off her as she bent low to rummage through a drawer, but he couldn't help himself.

She stood, and he looked away so fast he almost got whiplash.

"Here," she threw the trunks at him and tugged out her own bikini.

"Just change in here, I don't mind…"

His jaw dropped open as she turned her back to him and lifted her top over her head.

_Look away, look away, look away – holy shit her skin looks soft… fuck. _

Trying to divert his attention, he tore his singlet over his head and began unbuttoning his pants.

He really tried to ignore her as she unclasped her bra with one hand and let it drop to the floor.

He almost slapped himself when he realised he was practically drooling, and he shoved down his pants, acutely aware that she was doing the same.

Tugging up his pants quickly, he looked up just in time to see the bikini bottoms being pulled from her butt cheek.

She let go and the turquoise slapped against her soft flesh.

Kagami gulped and hoped she didn't turn around until he willed away the stiffness in his pants.

* * *

"So then I was like 'shit, Riko's going to _murder_ me' – and I just threw the rest of the makeup out the window and then I hear this _shout_ – and it fucking landed on the owner-"

Kagami laughed so hard he leant forward and accidentally snorted some of the pool water.

Satsuki laughed too, swimming to his side to pat his back as he coughed.

"There's never really a dull moment at my work," she giggled.

He chuckled, and watched her as she swam to her side of the pool.

* * *

He liked her, he decided.

Liked her more than he should.

* * *

It became routine.

Every weekend he'd make the effort to see her perform – and she'd look at him every performance.

Only him.

Sometimes, he felt as though she were dancing _for_ him.

Akashi noticed the change.

He noticed she'd stare into the audience, but he couldn't really tell who she was looking at.

He noted her half-lidded gaze and the way it made the audience go wild.

And so he took her aside.

"Be careful."

And, "There's people who'd do anything to exploit this club."

She'd nodded, but he could tell she wasn't listening.

* * *

Their routine went on and on.

After practice they'd traipse to her house, and swim in her pool.

She taught him how to swim butterfly, and he taught her how to play videogames.

Sometimes they'd go head to head in chess.

Other days, when it was getting too cold to go to and from the studio so frequently, Satsuki would invite him over and they'd practice in her large entertainment room.

The day he found out she couldn't cook was a turning point in their friendship.

* * *

"Kagamiiiiiiin," she groaned as he finished off a mission on Assassins Creed that she'd been stuck on.

"Hm?" he hummed, concentrating on flying Leonardo's machine over Venice.

"I'm hungry, but I don't want to go out!"

"Uh-huh," he nodded absently.

"Aha! I can cook us something, wait right here!"

It wasn't until the smell of something burning reached him that he realised she _couldn't_ cook.

He sprinted to the kitchen and almost shouted when he saw the fire in the frying pan.

"Kagamin! You're just in time, the eggs are almost read-"

But he had lunched forward and slammed off the stove. Before she could get a second word out, he grabbed the frying pan, slammed on the faucet and held the flaming food under the stream of cold water.

"Satsuki!" he cried breathlessly, "What on Earth were you trying to do?"

"I-I was cooking," she replied, looking a little hurt.

"You were _setting your house on fire!_" he almost yelled, temper spiking, fire-man instincts tingling.

"S-Sorry!" she cried back shrinking away, "I-I just wanted to make you something…"

He sighed as she trailed off, and finished off scrubbing the frying pan clean.

When he was done, he made his way to her fridge and rummaged around, figuring he could make do with what little she had and turn it into a curry.

He set to work, ignoring her as she stood awkwardly to the side.

Kagami was angry, and Satsuki didn't quite understand why.

They sat down at the dining table together, but before they could eat, Satsuki spoke up.

"I-I'm sorry."

He stared at her sharply, eyes narrowed, "Don't be _sorry_."

"What – why are you being like this, Taiga?"

Trying to ignore how deliciously his name rolled from her tongue, Kagami hardened his stare.

"You don't understand how dangerous fire is, do you?"

She remembered that he had been a firefighter – but she didn't understand why he was so mad.

"It was just a little fire to get the food tasty," she supplied, almost shyly, "It wouldn't have gotten out of hand."

When he said nothing, she almost visibly deflated, "I just… wanted to cook for my Kagamin."

He sighed then, and his face relaxed out of a frown, "I was so fucking worried, Satsuki."

She froze then, staring across the table at him, wide-eyed.

"I don't want you getting hurt," he met her eyes gently, "from now on, if you want food, just call me and I'll cook you something, oka-"

Before he could finish his sentence, she leant over the table, grabbed him by the scruff of his collar and crashed her mouth to his.

For a split second he flailed – and then he was cupping her face, moving his mouth in sync with hers, tasting her lips for the first time.

* * *

They were officially 'dating'.

"Hah!" laughed Taiga as he made to leave her house after they finished dinner, "Aomine's not going to believe me."

And then Satsuki's world came crashing down.

"A-Aomine?"

Not noticing her drastic change in demeanour, the red head pressed on, "Yeah. My partner in the office. I've told you about him before, haven't I?"

And he had, but he'd never mentioned his name.

"O-Oh… yeah…" she trailed off, averting her gaze to her feet, "Taiga… can I ask a favour?"

He cocked his head to the side and waited for her to speak.

"Do you think it'd… be okay, not to tell anyone about us, I mean?" she blinked up at him beneath her lashes.

"Why?"

She stared down at her feet, trying to come up with something believable, "I… don't want the press to find out about this. Or Akashi. He gets a bit strange like that."

Kagami nodded, because he wanted to make her happy – even though he wanted nothing more than to shout it to the heavens, to call everyone he knew and tell his mother… that he'd found the girl of his dreams, and that she was perfect.

* * *

"Satsuki, you seem happy," commented Daiki as they walked through a mall on his side of town for a while.

"Do I?" she smiled, trying to contain her joy.

"Yeah. Who got you that necklace, by the way?"

She faltered for a second, "My… friend."

* * *

She cried when she got home.

Lying to her parents.

Lying to Daiki.

Lying to _Taiga_.

She hit her head against the wall until she fell asleep.

* * *

"Momoi-san," came his cold tones, "be careful of _Aka Mayonaka_."

"Why?" she asked as she put on mascara, getting ready for her routine.

"They're our rival club. They're scouting our talent, and trying to bring us down. They've got money, so they could hire anyone."

"Yes, boss."

"Be careful."

* * *

"_Hey Satsuki, what're you doing tonight?" _

"I don't know, Daiki, why?"

"_I'm going out with a few friends. Come with?" _

"Sure – wait a sec, I'm getting a call – _Yes, hello, it's Satsuki."_

"It's me."

"_Kagamin!_"

"Are you busy tonight?"

"_Not sure yet, why?" _

"I'm going out with a few friends, and I thought you might want to come."

"_Oh. Who?"_

"Tatsuya, Kuroko, Aomine, and some of Aomine's fri-"

"_I-I'll think about it. I've got to go – mwa – _Aho-mine, still there?"

"_Yeah. So, can you come or not?"_

"I – I just got a call from work. They need me to teach a class. We won't be done until late."

"_Oh…. Okay. Catch up soon, yeah? Believe it or not, I miss your stupid head."_

"… Me too, baka."

* * *

_To: Kagami Taiga_

_I can't come tonight. Something came up. Have fun._

* * *

She was becoming a compulsive liar and she hated it.

She hated pretending to be something she wasn't – even Taiga, her boyfriend, the closest person to her – wasn't allowed in on her secret.

If she couldn't open up to him, then she didn't know who she could possibly turn to.

* * *

"Hey, are you alright?"

Satsuki sat up from her stretch at the sound of Riko's voice.

"Huh?"

"Y-Your ankle. There's blood on it."

Momoi looked to her ankle, to the straight little scratches.

"Yeah, m'fine. Just insect bites. They were itchy."

* * *

Fluid.

She was fluid in her everyday life.

Fluid on stage, with the movement of her body.

Fluid with the lies that poured from her lips and drowned her.

* * *

"Satsuki – what the hell happened to your head?"

She felt at her sore temple, hoping it wasn't stained blue like the wall beside her bed, "Oh – I fell out of bed this morning."

Daiki rolled his eyes and chuckled, "Trust you. Come on, I want you to meet someone."

They were almost at the meeting place when Satsuki glanced to Daiki, "Who're you introducing me to?"

"My idiot partner. His name is Kagami Taiga."

And she didn't have to pretend to pass out.

* * *

"_Ahomine, where are you?"_

"My friend passed out in the middle of the road, Bakagami."

"_Shit, she okay?"_

"Yeah, think so. I just took her home, so I won't be able to catch up with you until later, kay?"

"_Yeah. Hope your friend feels better."_

"Me too."

* * *

"You do realise how hard you make this 'secret relationship' thing, don't you?" asked Kagami as he watched his girlfriend lower herself into the Jacuzzi opposite him.

"Huh?"

He shook his head, "Almost every weekend Aomine and his friends – well I guess they're my friends, too – tell me they're going to introduce me to this friend of theirs. They all go on about how much I'd like her and how they want us to meet… but they don't understand that there'll never be anyone else for me."

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest at his words.

"I-I lo- like you, Satsuki," he stuttered, face red, "and no one could ever get in the way of that."

_No one except me_, _myself and I_, she thought.

* * *

"Satsuki, c'mere!" called Riko from across the lounge room.

They were at an after party for something or another, and it being a Sunday, Kagami was fast asleep to prepare for work the next morning.

The pinkette took a final sip from her drink and set it down before walking over to where her partner sat, a bespectacled man to her left.

"This is Hyuuga Junpei," she introduced him, "my fiancé."

"Oh," Satsuki stuck out her hand and shook the man's, "it's a pleasure to meet you. Riko's always going on about you some way or the other."

She shared a wink with the slowly reddening girl.

"She does?" the man sounded genuinely shocked.

"Yeah," the pinkette smiled at him, "she's an exceptionally talented dancer. You're lucky to have someone as dedicated as her."

He smiled up at his fiancé's partner then, his hand finding Riko's, "I know very well that I'm the luckiest man in the world. I don't know what I'd do without her."

Satsuki smiled and watched the couple exchange a look, "You should've seen how nervous she got when she met my parents! It was crazy."

* * *

"Hi Oka-san!"

"_Hello, darling!" _

"How's Rio going?"

"_It's beautiful, Sa-chan. I wish you could take a break from your busy schedule to come and visit me." _

"…me too, Oka-san. Me too."

* * *

"Satsuki," Kagami yawned as they lazed about on her couch.

"Hm?" she hummed, still curled into his chest after their movie marathon.

"Will… it be okay if you meet my parents?"

She froze like a deer in headlights, a voice flashing _DANGER!_ in her mind.

But she owed him that much at least, for lying to him so often.

"Of course, Kagamin."

* * *

She smoothed her hair for the hundredth time as she walked down the street beside Kagami, high heels clicking loudly on the pavement.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, straightening her dress again.

"You look beautiful, Satsuki," smiled Kagami, "I can't wait until my parents meet you. I haven't told them that much about you."

Trembling slightly, Satsuki nodded and let him lead her to the entrance of _Aka Mayonaka._

_Strange… maybe his parents live closer to this establishment than to Akashi's club? Or… maybe he's ashamed to bring them there, in case my profession is discovered. _

Trying to keep a smile on her face, she was acutely aware of her sweaty palms, her shaking legs.

They ascended a few sets of stairs until they were in the VIP rooms.

Satsuki tried to stop shaking.

"Calm down," Kagami murmured, rubbing soothing circles into the back of her hand with his thumb.

She nodded jerkily, and he led her into the room.

Two late-middle-aged people turned around. A woman with red hair, and a man with black hair – both of them streaked grey with age.

"Welcome – son, could this be…" the man who Satsuki assumed to be Kagami's father, was staring at her wide eyed.

"My girlfriend," Kagami announced, smiling down at her.

Satsuki, however, was caught staring at his parents, holding her breath.

"We didn't tell anyone for security reasons," he explained, trying to ignore how panicked the dancer looked on his arm.

"Momoi Satsuki," his mother said at last, "I've been wanting to meet your for a long time now."

"Yes," said his father, stepping forward, "as the owners of _Aka Mayonaka_, we'd like to proposition you with a contract."

For a moment Satsuki thought her heart had stopped.

It all made sense – Akashi's warnings, Kagami's convenient step into her life, the smiling faces of the owners of her rival club.

"Mother – father-" but the pinkette cut off Taiga's alarmed shout.

"I knew it!" she cried, tearing her arm out of his grasp, "I – I knew…" she was breathing too heavy, her eyesight was blurring. "how _could_ you?"

"Satsuki – please, I didn't-"

"Just _leave_ me _alone!_" she cried, spinning on her heel and fleeing from the room.

_Leave, leave, leave. _

Her lies were coming back to haunt her.

Was he lying as fluidly as she was?

Was he lying when he held her close before he headed home?

Was he lying when he smiled at her as he whizzed around the kitchen?

Was he lying when he'd bashfully kiss her forehead, too shy to go any further?

And before she knew it, she was home, and her hand was on her phone and she dialled a number that was long deleted from her contacts – but that she knew by heart, nevertheless.

"_Hello?"_

"Shoichi," she gasped, breathless from her run, "I need some. Now."


	4. Spin

_**A/N: This is a little note for all you readers and reviewers out there (thank you so much to those who reviewed, it means a lot to me)! **_

_**Just to clear things up, I wanted you to know that Satsuki is in a bit of a tough spot. She's desperately trying to cling to the respect that her friends show her. All of her close friends are male -and they tend to refer to women in strip clubs in a derogatory manner more often than not. She doesn't want to lose their respect, and she doubts her parents' ability to accept her line of work and her passion. Yes, she makes mistakes - and YES, she's messed up... but she's only human, and she is trying to make do with what she has. Just don't judge too harshly, because she does get herself back on track a little in to the story. **_

**_Thanks again to all those who reviewed! _**

* * *

Not pills – injections.

Not scratches – incisions.

Not a sore head – a forehead stained the blue of her bedroom wall.

* * *

"Oi. Satsuki! Open up!"

Barely conscious, the pinkette sat up. Had it been a week already?

"Hurry up, we're performing in an hour!"

She somehow stumbled downstairs without stepping on any syringes, and swung open the door to an impatient Riko.

"Hey, hey, hey – Satsuki, stay with me!"

She hadn't realised she'd been falling asleep.

"Tch. Look at you. Come on, you need to perform or Akashi's going to fucking _kill _you."

And even though Riko saw the injections, saw the cuts and the bruises and the pain, she said nothing.

Instead she shoved her partner into the bath and scrubbed her clean.

"Okay," she said brashly as she finished drying her friend, "You need to perk the fuck up before you set foot on that stage. I don't care what you do – drink, shoot up, snort something – just do whatever you can to perform. Akashi _will_ kill you if you don't give a show."

And even in her delusional state, Satsuki understood Riko.

She shot up before she left and danced perfectly.

Riko knew she shouldn't have encouraged Satsuki into her old, deadly cycle, but if she wasn't on stage – wasn't performing – she'd be in for a fate worse than drug addiction and alcohol abuse.

* * *

Satsuki didn't know how – but she was suddenly sober.

She stared around her living room, almost crying when she realised the sheer amount of empty syringes lying everywhere.

There was a knock at her door, and the dancer could only cry – _"Wait a minute!_" before she darted around, scooping up the evidence of her addiction and stuffing the plastic and metal into a spare room before she hurried to the front door.

It swung open to reveal Aomine and Midorima.

"Oh. H-Hi," she opened the front door wider and prayed to the heavens that she didn't miss any needles.

They filed into her living room, and took a seat on the couch.

"Satsuki," began Aomine, "we need your help."

She couldn't meet either of their eyes. Wordlessly, she began scratching at a smooth spot of skin on her ankle.

"My partner – something happened around two weeks ago and he's devastated. He can't even work properly – and I _swear_ I saw him crying one time on duty."

_Scratchy, scratchy, itchy bite!_

A warm trickle of blood began under the stress of her nail.

"I don't know how to make him happy. If you'd just come out with us – I dunno, flirt with him a bit, use your womanly charms to get him to say something."

_Itchy, itchy, scratchy bite!_

"I just want to help him – and I really don't know how."

_Blood is warm, blood is red, blood is running from my leg!_

"What the fuck, Satsuki, stop that!" a hand slapped her own away from her bloody ankle.

"Holy hell," Aomine frowned, "what the fuck happened to your ankles?"

_Nails are strong, so is metal, I'm going to buy more…kettles?_

"Nothing," she spoke, trying to stay out of her foggy mind a little longer, "allergic reaction to the leather on the high heels that I wear."

_Fluid lies, fluid lies, ones that made Taiga go-bye!_

"I can't help you," she shrugged, "I'm not some kind of whore, Daiki."

_I'm a whore, I'm a whore, if I wasn't I'd be a bore!_

"I didn't mean it in that way-"

"Yes you _did_. Now if you'd be so kind as to leave me to get some work done."

She made the mistake of looking up – directly at Midorima.

One look at him and she knew that he knew. He could tell even though he couldn't see her messy injection points, couldn't see the bruising on her head because her hair was down.

And she shook her head, just a little.

_Don't tell Dai, Don't tell Dai, if you do I might just die!_

And he nodded back.

"Bye," she walked them out.

* * *

Somehow she'd pulled through by herself, stopped shooting up in the bathroom between performances, managed to remain clean for a few weeks.

And to keep away from her lows, she called Kise over, called Aomine and Kuroko and Midorima and Murasakibara.

Sure, they'd notice her scratched ankles, but she used foundation to cover the bruises on her head, and even in the pool she covered the injection marks somehow.

Life was finally starting to look up – and she was finally ready to tell Akashi about Kagami and what had happened.

"I _warned_ you, Momoi."

She almost wet her pants.

"What did they do?"

"Uh-they-uh – proposed a contr-tract," she tried to keep the twitch from the corner of her mouth.

"Hm. I've heard that you've contacted Imayoshi."

_Oh, shit. No, no no! This can't be happening_.

"Customers don't like to see dried blood on the performer's ankles, Momoi-san."

"I-I'm _trying_ to stop, Akashi-san, I swear-"

"_Trying_ isn't _good enough!_"

His sudden shout echoed through the empty club.

"I-I-"

But she closed her mouth – what _could_ she say that would make him change his mind.

"You're costing me _millions_ of dollars… but I have no choice but to let you go. Tch, such a waste of talent."

* * *

"You're applying at a place like _this…_after working at _Akashi Naitokurabu?"_

"Yeah. He had some…conditions… I couldn't abide by."

"Right. Well your reputation precedes you. You're hired."

* * *

She was an instant hit in the average club.

But she couldn't say she was happy.

Foreign hands reaching for her were repulsive, she almost slipped at all the bills thrown her way - but she did get a _lot_ of bills on top of the wage she earned from the owner.

It was enough to pay the upkeep for her apartment, and just enough to scrape a few hits a week.

* * *

"Suki, sell these for me, would you?"

"I may be tripping more often than not, but I'm not an idiot. No _fucking_ way."

"Your loss…"

* * *

Sometimes she'd stumble over to Imayoshi's place – he'd shout her a hit and they'd get high together.

Sometimes they slept together – a wild mix of drugs and lust.

Other times they lay on his roof and got lost in the labyrinth that was the night sky.

There was no denying Satsuki was almost at the point of no return.

Almost.

* * *

"_Oka-s-san?"_

"Satsuki? You might want to sit down, dear…"

* * *

"Here – this hit's on me."

Her fingers twitched, aching to feel something other than pain – but she shook her head.

"No thanks, Shoichi."

* * *

She ignored their calls and didn't answer the door.

Sometimes she'd listen to the messages – the angry ones from Riko, the worried ones of Aomine and Tetsu.

Always, she'd make a nick on her ankles when she realised she should have felt something other than depression.

* * *

When her ankles were too lacerated to continue, she started on her hands, her arms.

Little red lines, covered by her makeup in time for performances.

* * *

Incisions.

Head stained blue of the wall beside her bed.

No more highs – only lows.

* * *

"_Satsuki… I don't know why I didn't call you before. I just – I was surprised that you believed I would actually _do_ that to you. Please, just talk to me again. I just want to hear your voice."_

* * *

_To: Kagami Taiga_

_I can't meet up with you. In a bit of a tough patch right now. _

_Maybe when I fix myself up. _

_Thanks._

* * *

Phone, long dead.

Wallet, stuffed with bills.

Head – beginning to clear.

* * *

And she was doing well.

Finally, she had enough sense to bandage her ankles, put ice to her head, wear long sleeved shirts.

* * *

Everything in her life revolved around dance.

It always had – and she never thought she'd come to hate dancing as much as she did.

Well – not dancing, per say – but _where_ she danced.

Groping hands.

Catcalls.

Money, shoved into the straps of her outfit, scrunching and creasing and indenting her skin.

_Just a little while longer – then I can apply somewhere that works for me_.

* * *

Aomine was worried.

His childhood friend had practically dropped off the map.

He couldn't find her name on any of the employee lists for where she'd said she worked.

She never answered her phone or replied to his messages – and she never answered her door, no matter what he said.

It was Kise who realised how stressed he'd been, Kise who suggested they go out for some fun – and Kuroko who invited the strangely stoic Kagami along.

"Kagami-kun's going to be late," Tetsu said simply as they walked to the club together, handing a snack to Murasakibara as he went.

"Oh? What's that baka doing anyway?"

"Dunno. Think he was going to _Akashi Naitokurabu_ for pre drinks with a friend before he came here."

"It's hard to believe Kagami can afford that place," commented Midorima dryly.

"Shut up, sour puss," scoffed Aomine, "just because you'd rather see Takao strip than a woman-"

He was cut off as the kelp haired man swatted his head.

"Fuck off!"

* * *

"Welcome, ladies and gents!" called an announcer from the stage.

"Hey, Tetsu, watch this," Aomine sniggered pointing over to the short man from where they sat at the bar.

"We've got a treat for you tonight!"

The crowd cheered, and the old basketball team's interest piqued.

"A celebrity has joined our staff – some of you may know her as the Pink Goddess – and others may know her as…_ Momoi Satsuki!"_


	5. Recovery

Satsuki was struggling.

She was low – much too low to perform with any sense of… well… _anything_.

But as soon as she stepped out, the lights flashed to her and the music begun.

She lost herself to the performance, portraying the ecstasy of her drugs, the sensuality with Imayoshi, the loss and passion she felt for Kagami.

Effortlessly, she spun around the stage, movements like liquid, smooth and flowing.

The roar of the crowd reminded her that it was a Saturday night – one of the busiest nights – and she was finishing up a final move when she realised something was wrong.

No – ankles weren't bleeding.

No – makeup hadn't rubbed off her forehead.

No – arms were covered, still.

Eyes on her, she realised, as she came to a stop, hair still swaying around her, cheers and whistles still unbearably loud.

She looked up, almost in slow motion – and her eyes swept the room.

There – at the bar – Daiki was standing, mouth agape, glass crushed in his fist.

Kuroko, Murasakibara, Kise and Midorima – they were there too.

She managed to stay on her heeled feet somehow – and then the MC was nodding for her to get off the stage.

She backed away, averting her frantic gaze, painfully aware of her heartbeat as it echoed in her ears.

And she made the mistake of looking at the exit.

* * *

Kagami stepped into the average club Aomine had told him to meet at, Tatsuya at his side.

"Don't worry, Taiga," his friend assured, "I'm sure she's alright. Did Aida tell you why she left there?"

But Kagami's gaze was drawn to the stage.

Wide-eyed pink met dark red, and it was a colossal collision.

* * *

_No, no. _

_No. _

She repeated the word like a mantra in her head as she darted to the change room.

_Leave. _

_Run. _

She changed and shoved her things haphazardly into her bag.

_Go. _

_Far away._

Her heart was thundering in her chest as she exited her room, acutely aware of the commotion at the entrance to the hallway.

"_Let me pass, I know Satsuki – hey! Satsuki – tell him you know me! Let me pass!"_

And she spun on her heel and walked in the opposite direction, hoping the trembling in her shoulders would cease for just a second.

Someone must've paid the security guard, because suddenly she could hear them thundering down the hallway behind her.

She was almost at the exit – almost at her escape – when the door swung open to a panting Kagami.

_Fuck._

"Satsuki, _please!_" shouted Aomine and Kagami in sync.

Her breaths came too fast - she thought she was going to collapse.

_This can't be happening_.

"You know Satsuki?" again, in synchronisation.

And just when she thought her legs were going to give way beneath her, her saviour and her devil appeared behind Kagami.

"Shoichi!" she gasped, hands shaking.

"Come," his tone was cold as he strode forward and grabbed her by the arm.

_Breathe… breathe…_

He tugged her away from the men and shoved her outside.

_Rough._

Hassled into a car, and then they were speeding away.

"Stay with me," he told her.

And she was too panicked to say no.

* * *

"C'mon, Suki," he murmured, voice deceptively soft, "one more hit."

Her hands shook as she lifted the syringe – and then an image of Kagami flashed before her eyes and she dropped it to the floor.

"I can't."

* * *

"Oi. Kagami."

"What do you want, aho?"

The navy haired officer paused, glaring briefly at the man, "Stop moping around. You think I'm not worried, too?"

"You don't seem to understand that that was Imayoshi, Ahomine. He's the most notorious dealer in both clubs and underground."

"I _know_. You think I didn't notice all those fucking habits she got? I'm a police officer, I can tell when someone's just taken a hit, I can _see_ the scars and know all the twitches."

"Then _why the fuck didn't you do something about it?"_ Kagami was shouting now, hands slammed against the table.

"Because I didn't want her to push me away!" Aomine cried back, just as angered. "I spent my teenage years treating her like shit. It felt like any word I'd say would just make her hate me even _more_."

"At least you didn't make her think you were using her!" the red haired man's voice broke on the last syllable, and he slumped into his chair, "I'm such a fucking idiot," he groaned.

"What do you mean?"

"I… We started dating – I told you about that, yeah?"

"Yeah…"

"At first I was only in it to make my father happy. I wanted to get her for him, and hand her over with a little bow on top. I didn't expect for us to – I mean along the way we – I just – I began to _love_ her. And then I lost her."

"Join the club, Bakagami."

* * *

"Now, now, Momoi-san," said the kind carer, "no scratching your ankles! Here, wear these finger caps."

Satsuki nodded and shook her head, doing as she was told.

Right.

No more scratching the itchy bites.

Three weeks since her escape from Shoichi, and she'd sold her place and checked herself into rehab for a second time.

The group therapy helped.

* * *

"Satsuki… how've you been."

The pinkette tore her gaze from the white washed walls and spotted Riko, sitting stiffly in the chair beside her bed.

"I'm… getting better."

Riko nodded.

"I know Akashi sent you, Riko. You don't have to pretend."

Sighing the brunette shrugged, "I'll be honest, then. Akashi wanted to ask you whether it was Imayoshi or not – he blames him for losing you as an investment."

"Oh. Well then yeah, it was."

"To tell you the truth, I don't give a shit how you ended up in here again. I'm just glad you made that decision. You really are a good dancer, Satsuki."

Silence.

"Riko… can I ask you something?"

Raising a sharp brow the acrobat nodded.

"Have… you ever had to hide your dancing? Y'know… from your parents, boyfriend, friends?"

Silence.

"No. I told them that's how it was, told them it was my passion – and told them to put up with it."

"Oh. I see."

And when Riko left a little later, her glare wasn't as harsh, and she seemed to understand something Satsuki didn't.

* * *

Two months and three weeks into rehab, and Satsuki was clean.

She found a cheap apartment, got hired by a prestigious ballet company, and set herself back on track.

It was the beginning of winter when she decided to apologise.

* * *

"_You have reached the message bank of room 221 in the Tokyo Police Department. Leave a message, and officers Kagami and Aomine will get back to you as soon as possible."_

Satsuki took a deep breath, legs shaking as she stood at the phone booth. It was late, so she wasn't really expecting them to answer.

"Hello. It's – uh – me. Satsuki."

_I'm such an idiot_.

"I just – wanted to apologise. To both of you. For lying, and everything in between."

_I sound so stupid_.

"I know it's too little, too late. I really do – but I couldn't move forward without knowing I made an effort with you."

_Wow, sound like a bigger idiot why don't you, Satsuki_?

"Aomine... I didn't want to make you ashamed of me. I lied to you, and I lied to my parents… and if you hadn't discovered me on your own, I probably would've gone on without telling you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, and I understand if you don't want to be associated with someone like me."

_Drug addict, stripper, whore – you name it, that's me._

"K-Kagami."

_Way to go, idiot_.

"I'm sorry I made you keep us a secret. Yeah, I was hurt that you're the heir to _Aka Mayonaka_, but I shouldn't have shut you out like I did. I'm a coward. I'm sorry."

"_You have twenty seconds of your call left. Insert more coins to gain more call time."_

"I joined the ballet," she blurted, "no more clubs. No more rehab and no more lies."

_Five seconds left, baka_.

"I miss you both, Dai-chan, Kagamin."

"_This call has ended."_

She hung up and walked home.

* * *

Dancing became her life again.

She was cast as Odette in Swan Lake, and she excelled at it.

She spun and leapt with perfect precision, grace and beauty and charm in her hands and feet.

And when the Swan turned dark, seductive – so did she.

She had been holding her passion behind a wall – and when she became dark, it seeped through, just enough to perform without being overly assertive.

The producers loved it – loved her delicate movements – delicate like her mental state.

And they loved her grace and her seduction and the low point that she was so well acquainted with.

Opening night came and went – she made more money than she had in _months_.

Soon the production was coming to a close, and she felt almost melancholy as she readied herself to dance on final night.

* * *

"Calm down, Bakagami," whispered Aomine as they filed into their seats.

"I'm _trying_, aho!" hissed the red head.

"Why're you so nervous anyway? I mean, I know we haven't seen her in months and the last time we saw her she was tripping and a stripper and – oh. Fuck it. Now I'm nervous, too."

"Shut up, it's starting!" whispered Kagami, elbowing Aomine in the side as the lights dimmed.

The performance started – and the red head lost himself in the story.

He saw her – pink hair soft and lighter than he remembered – but he couldn't tell how long it was with her hair done in an elaborate bun.

She sparkled and glittered in an outfit of white – and he was taken by the gentle flow of her arms, the curve of her neck, the lines of her body that flowed and spiralled.

She was pure – not in mind – not even in body – but in soul. Kind and soft and gentle – that was Satsuki and Odette as one.

And the dark swan was the other half of her, the secret half, the half that she spent too long suffering through.

Aomine and Kagami said nothing throughout the performance – could only watch in awe, applauding vigorously with the crowd as the cast bowed all together.

* * *

Final night was packed with press.

Satsuki dressed normally in her room and put on a low sweeping sunhat in an attempt to avoid the masses of interviewers.

As per the norm, her efforts were fruitless.

"_How does it feel to be recognised as a national symbol for women?" _

"_Stripper to Swan Lake – your thoughts?" _

"_Was your time as a whore significant in your decision to join the national ballet?" _

"_What are the company's thoughts on your drug abuse?" _

"_Rehab! Tell us about what happened in rehab to make you change so drastically!"_

* * *

Kagami and Aomine headed over to Kuroko's, where the gang was already watching television.

"You two are back just in time," commented Midorima, "the interview's just about to start."

* * *

Satsuki was nervous – right after the final night and she was already scheduled to an interview.

She entered the recording studio and shook hands with the female presenter.

"My name is Hirajakawa Harumi, and I'll be your interviewer."

The pinkette took off her hat, smoothed her elbow length hair out and sat in the plush lounge allocated for her.

"Now," said the interviewer before the cameras began rolling, "this is going to be live. I'll be asking some… invasive questions. Are you okay with that?"

Satsuki nodded and took a sip from the glass of water on the table.

_3_

_2_

_1_

_AIR_

"I'm Hirajakawa Harumi and Tonight on Tokyo TV, we have a special guest. We welcome you, Momoi Satsuki."

"Thank you, Hirajakawa-san," Satsuki nodded, trying to ignore the cameras as they got different angles on her and her interviewer.

"Now," began the woman, "it's to be understood that this is your first interview since you stopped working at _Akashi Naitokurabu_, yes?"

"Yes."

"And it's also your first allowance of public curiosity, yes?"

"Yes."

"Aha," nodded the reporter, "So, Satsuki, tell us about your rise to fame."

"Well," she began trying not to twiddle her thumbs, "as you probably know, dancing is my life. A friend mentioned the club offhandedly and when a position opened up, I couldn't pass up an opportunity like that."

"Hm," nodded the woman, "I see. And your talent for dancing brought you close to the owner of the club itself, yes?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

Nodding and looking to her 'notes' briefly, she asked, "What about your partner, Riko? What can you divulge about her?"

Satsuki smiled and shook her head, "She's tough. That's all I can say."

"Well – we know she's tough, we faced her wrath on more occasions than one!"

They laughed, and the pinkette finally began to loosen up.

"Tell us about your first incident with drugs."

Satsuki took a sip of water, and tried to look at Harumi as evenly as possible.

"I wasn't in a good mental place. My line of work wasn't really…acceptable, socially – I was upset. I made the mistake of trying it once."

The sympathy on Harumi's face made Satsuki want to hurl, but she powered on, "And I almost overdosed. I was put into rehab and I _did_ manage to stay clean for a while."

Next question.

"You seemed to be doing exceptionally well after that. Was there anyone _special_ to the side?"

She paused then, flicking an elastic band around her wrist a few times before replying, "Yeah. There was."

"Oh," cooed Harumi, "tell us about him."

Blush.

"I – well – he…" she sighed and shook her head, "he was special to me. I…"

She trailed off and took another sip of water, evading the question.

"Tell us about your relapse."

She remembered then, the betrayal, the confusion, the guilt.

"It… began with me. I felt like I had to lie to the people that mattered most just to get by. Emotions began piling up inside me like a tower. Guilt, confusion, anxiety… and lastly – betrayal."

Stinging – behind her eyes.

_Don't cry, Satsuki. Keep it together_.

"It was hard, and I was weak. Before I knew it, I was hooked again."

Someone handed her a tissue and she wiped angrily at her eyes, "I was in a bad place. Every time I tried to get off it, something would drive me into a corner and the withdrawal almost sent me mad."

She swallowed back another wave of tears, remembering incisions, injections – and a forehead stained the blue of the wall beside her bed.

"My boss didn't approve of my habits – and I was dropped."

Funny how she could make such a life shattering moment seem simple in a sentence.

"I got hired somewhere else, and was finally pulling myself together."

_Deep breaths – that's it, try and look her in the face. _

"I was almost clean – but – but one night, I just…"

_Stunned faces, betrayal, realisation, panic. _

"…snapped."

"Hm. And what happened then?"

"W-Well…"

_A phone call – from overseas. _

_A hospital call. _

"My – My mother," her voice trembled, "she uh… she called me from… I think it was L.A."

No tissues were given to her as her lips quivered.

"And uh – she wasn't feeling well, so she went to the doctors. She was… diagnosed with lung cancer."

Her throat clenched and she struggled to remember the conversation she had when she was high, splayed over Imayoshi's bed and barely conscious.

"And I don't know why," she cursed herself as her voice broke, "but I thought it was my bad karma coming around."

She covered her face with her hands, and tried not to throw off the gentle hand of the reporter as she patted the dancer's leg.

"And… when did you hit your lowest point?"

A flash of a dark room, blood caking her hands and her head stained the red of his wallpaper.

"Not long after that. Y'know – it's hard…"

She struggled to control her breathing, angrily wiping at the tears with the back of her hand.

"You get a lot of highs. Feels like your flying, takes the bad things in your life and tips them on their head. But every time you come off that high it feels as though you're going to implode. Withdrawal and insanity kind of… mesh together – and the only way you feel normal is when there's – a needle – in y-your arm and…"

A flash of a syringe in her hand, the day she decided to drop it on the floor.

"I – I just didn't know how to deal with it. But the thought of the people I loved – it pulled me out of it long enough for me to check myself into rehab again."

Nodding, Harumi was almost in tears herself, "And how was rehab?"

"Oh," she chuckled wetly, "it was hell. But the staff where I went were like my family – and they picked me up whenever I didn't want to carry on."

"I've heard you've got many scars from your drug abuse. Would… you care to show us?"

_No_.

"I – I'm not quite comfortable with that."

Again, Harumi nodded.

"Understandable. Are there any regrets you have, from the whole experience – aside from doing drugs, of course."

Satsuki wanted to slap her at her casual tone, but she refrained.

"Yeah. I wish – that I'd told someone… or let someone help. But I was too stubborn and too absorbed in my… _lies_," she spat the word as though it were poison, "that I let it spiral too fast out of control."

"Well, our time is up. Thank you for being honest with us here today, Momoi-san."

"Thank you for having me, Hirajakawa-san."

* * *

Kagami didn't know why he was _crying_.

It was just a goddamn interview.

But she sounded so sad, and even though she wasn't getting high in the bathroom in her spare time, he thought she still seemed a little deranged.

And her voice – he didn't realise he'd missed it so much.

"Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun," said Kuroko, sounding a little startled, "why are you crying?"

"Shut up, Tetsu!" they cried simultaneously.


	6. Caged

Only a few days after the interview, and Satsuki had to move houses again – the press found her address and wanted more details on her life that she wasn't willing to give.

New apartment, new room – new bedroom wall.

Satsuki didn't hit her head anymore – nor did she scratch the skin on her ankles raw… but she never quite got used to spotting the mess of white lines around her feet, or the thin lines on her wrists – the messy almost pinprick dots on the inside of her forearm.

* * *

_Ding-dong._

"Hold on, I'll be there in a second!" cried Satsuki as she hurriedly pulled on a pair of sweats.

She swung open the door, panting slightly – "Hello – oh."

Kagami stood there, hands shoved awkwardly in his pockets, gaze averted as he looked anywhere but her face.

"K-Kagamin," she blurted, the nickname slipping from her lips easily.

"I'm here to apologise."

* * *

They sat on opposite lounges, both staring at the glass of the coffee table between them.

"I didn't set you up that time, you know."

"I know."

"I'm not going to lie to you – the whole thing did start as a ploy to get you to transfer."

"I know."

"I'm really, truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you at all-"

"I _know_, Kagamin." She looked to him and smiled then, "I'm so sorry that you were stuck with someone like me for so long. Please find it somewhere in your heart to forgive me."

* * *

"Stop scratching at your wrists," chided Kagami as he led Satsuki to his apartment.

"But – what if he won't talk to me?" her voice was small.

The red head smiled back at his ex-girlfriend and shook his head, "You don't know him as well as he claims you do, then."

* * *

As soon as she stepped through the doorway she was in his arms, and he was talking into her hair.

"_I'm so sorry, Satsuki."_

And, "_I hope you can forgive me."_

"Only if you forgive, me, Dai-chan."

"Of course, _baka_."

* * *

"You do know that your supplier was a mass drug lord, don't you?"

Pink hair, pink cheeks, "I do, Kagamin."

"Ah. You don't stay in contact anymore, do you?"

She sighed, "I deleted his number, but it always springs to my mind whenever I'm in a tough spot. It's a bad habit to have."

Silence.

"I'm… glad you made the decision to fix yourself, Satsuki."

"Me too."

* * *

"Oka-san! How are you?"

Rattling coughs, raspy breaths.

"_Feeling better, darling. Your father wants to speak…with you_."

"But – oka-san-"

"_Satsuki, how are you?"_

* * *

She tried to ignore the hints.

_Baby, come back._

She walked past the post-it notes that stuck to poles along the streets lining her way to work.

_Suki, I miss you_.

They were red, like the wall beside his bed.

_One. More. Time. _

And she knew there were eyes on her, knew the same exact people were in the coffee shop at exactly 8:47 whenever she got her regular.

She knew that there was always more than one secretary watching as she entered her building at the ballet company.

She knew that the cab drivers were looking a little too long, and were on the phone too quickly after she'd exited the car.

* * *

"You look troubled, Momoi-san," said her ex-boss.

Without bothering to smile, she shook her head and took a sip from her orange juice, tuning out the sounds of partying and chatter from around her, "It's nothing, Akashi-san."

And he eyed her critically, taking a sip from his bourbon, "You sure you don't want a drink?"

She laughed humourlessly and shook her head, "No thank you."

He nodded in approval and tapped the arm of his chair for a beat, "It seems you're properly on track."

She nodded, "I'm never falling that low again. It changed me…" her voice was barely loud enough to hear, "even now, I can't escape from it unless I'm awake."

"If you can prove to me you can keep a promise, that would be splendid."

And, "We have a position available, you know."

Satsuki gave him a small, sad smile, "Sorry, boss. I don't put myself in risky situations anymore."

"No?" his brows shot up, "You really have changed, Satsuki-san."

Unfazed at the use of her first name, but not daring enough to voice his, she shrugged, "Setting rules is the only way to keep sane."

* * *

_No dancing without a form_

_No alcohol or drugs of any kind_

_No lying_

_No relationships. Do not trust._

* * *

She met him during a production.

It was small – a new university student, bursting with ideas and eager to try new concepts, and so she'd been cast as part of a team.

So had Daisuke.

He was crude at first, she thought. Made a lot of jokes and inappropriate comments.

But he danced so beautifully – so structured and refined.

And he could lift her, twirl her higher than her highest point, pull her out of the lowest dip.

She was enchanted.

* * *

"Satsuki-san," he said. "Go out with me."

Internally, she shrugged – _why the hell not?_

"Okay."

* * *

She told Aomine first and foremost.

This guy that she was dating was well off, a dancer – and he wasn't too bad of a kisser.

He'd cringed, but he didn't demand she gain his approval of her latest beau.

* * *

Kagami pretended like it didn't irk him.

Still, he couldn't help the twitch of his fingers, the sharpening line of his mouth, the clenching muscles in his back.

He didn't know the man's name – but he hated him more than anything in the world.

* * *

He babied her, and she was too embarrassed to tell him not to.

One day he enquired to the little white lines marring her hands and arms – and she'd avoided his question spectacularly.

He must've looked her biography up on the internet, because the next day he held her hand in his as though it were porcelain, and she let him because she didn't know how to pull away.

* * *

Sometimes he'd say things that made her uncomfortable.

"_Here, I'll cut that for you. Don't want you to hurt yourself again."_

They'd walk past a pharmacist, and he'd tug on her hand a little harder, speak a little louder, try to manoeuvre himself to block her view of the store.

He was smothering her and she didn't know how to escape – not when he was being so nice, treating her like a thin sheet of ice in a heated room.

She learnt to hide her cringe, ignored the way his offhanded jabs felt like wholehearted stabs, pretend like she enjoyed him coddling her like a child.

Not that Satsuki could lie – sometimes she liked it. She liked when he'd call to make sure she was okay, or text her at least once a day to see what she was up to.

But after a while her frustration began to build – build into a tower, threatening to collapse at any moment.

* * *

The first time; she yelled at him, told him to stop suffocating her – he wept and said he loved her too much to even think of seeing her in pain.

The second time; she berated him for spiking a fight with Daiki, over something she didn't manage to hear – he sulked for a week and begged on his knees for her to never leave him.

The third time; she told him their relationship wasn't working – he threatened to kill himself.

* * *

And he moved them both to a part of Tokyo she'd never been to before.

She went along because she was so, so scared of pushing him over the edge – of becoming an even worse excuse for a human.

* * *

Post-it notes.

_Just_

_As_

_Planned_

Red, the colour of the wall beside his bed.

* * *

"Why? _Why?_ _WHY?"_ she muttered to herself in the bath, rocking back and forth.

_Self-destruct!_ flashed through her mind over and over.

A knock on the door.

"Are you alright in there, love? That's an awfully long bath you're taking!"

"_I'm fine, Dai!_" she called back.

She wished for a different Dai.

* * *

_Self-destruct_

_I'm a slut_

_Self-destruct_

_Let's get fucked_

_Highs and lows_

_He's on his toes_

_Him or me?_

_I don't feel clean._

* * *

_Just you and I_

_I want to die_

_Cuts or shots? _

_Maybe the lot_

_Reaching out_

_Try to shout_

_No one hears_

_Not for their ears_

* * *

_Life or death? _

_He'll choose to rest_

_And me?_

_I'll just bleed_

_Here, alone_

_Where've my friends gone?_

* * *

"Leave, Kuroko," _Stay, please_.

"Momoi-san, I noticed how distant you've been."

"Don't worry about me." _Help me._

"I'll be back, you know."

"Don't bring them here." _Please, please, don't leave me with him_.

* * *

And she couldn't hurt herself – she couldn't be distracted.

She felt like pressure was building up behind her eyes, an insanity that seeped past her façade, a disease that ate away the progress she'd made over the past years.

* * *

_Walls, crumbling like sand_

_War, fight or crawl_

_Fall, together or apart_

_Stretch_

_Snap_

_Shatter_

_Self-destruct_

* * *

His number; scrawled onto the back of her hands, printed on the black of her eyelids, shouted to the sky when she dreamed of freedom.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going, Satsuki?"

"I-I just wanted to get some milk."

"It's a dangerous place. I'll go. You shouldn't leave the house. You could break any moment."

He wasn't wrong.

* * *

And she tried – she really tried not to hit her head.

But it was becoming an off grey, stained the colour of the living room that was her prison.

* * *

Fingers – strapped tightly together after he saw her fidgeting with the bottom of her sweats.

Ankles – bandaged too tightly for her to walk without pain.

Hands – tied behind her back so she couldn't escape.

* * *

When she tried to speak he told her the sound of her voice made his blood sing.

And he'd hold a knife to his wrists and ask if she wanted to see the proof.

* * *

Kuroko came back, knocked on the door when she was curled onto the couch, when Daisuke was shopping for groceries.

She hobbled to the door, cursing as she found she couldn't open it with her hands behind her back.

Her timid friend kicked the door down and hurriedly unbound her hands and they were running to his car before they could exchange two words.

And when they made it to the police station she cried and cried because she was so close to dropping off the edge – to a place she wouldn't return from.

* * *

"Holy shit," was all he could say as he watched Kuroko carefully unbind the bandages from her pale hands.

Her fingers were bound so close, so tight - that the creases between them were bruised – and she couldn't bend them just yet.

Her ankles were raw, almost bloody – but she could walk, and that was good enough for her.

She vowed not to let herself fall so far so fast ever again.

* * *

"_Young professional dancer, Narumi Daisuke, was found dead in his apartment, age 23. Neighbours found him hanging from the ceiling, wrists cut in a show of self-harm. His girlfriend of seven months, Momoi Satsuki, is not under suspicion. Narumi had a history of depression and troubles in his life…"_

She switched off the TV and knew she was going to hell when she breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

"Satsuki… you've got to go outside sometime."

She shook her head, "You're not the one who has to face the reporters."

* * *

It got to the point where she couldn't leave her house without being ambushed.

"_What was your relationship with Narumi Daisuke?"_

"_Were you responsible for his death?"_

"_How would you feel about an interview with my programme?"_

* * *

"Satsuki," said Daiki, "come live with me."

"Sure," she said, knowing she didn't really have a choice.

* * *

_Living with a friend_, Daiki called it.

_Witness protection,_ Satsuki called it.

* * *

"What a beautiful couple!" people commented wherever they went together.

Satsuki would shake her head and Daiki would roll his eyes – they knew each other too well to fall in love.

Satsuki realised long ago that she couldn't compete with Daiki.

He was the only one to win, after all.

He won in basketball.

He won in his career.

And he won Tetsu – when she had still been in love with the timid boy.

Perhaps that was the first rift to be driven between them – to make him so scared to have her push him away – to make her so cautious around him.

* * *

But they began to mend – slowly, steadily.


	7. Mend

"I hate you, Momoi Satsuki," spat the blonde.

Startled out of here revere, the pinkette came to and was quite startled to see a busty blonde opposite her.

"Eh…?"

"Name's Alex. I'm Taiga's girlfriend."

"O-Oh…" she was still trying to figure out when the woman had come in.

"Aomine and Taiga have gone to pick up some dinner for us. Not that you were listening."

"Oh."

A heated glare – one Satsuki was sad to say she was used to – "You're despicable, you know?"

The dancer blinked blankly at the woman.

"Everything that I am, and he still… you know what? I don't even care anymore."

Silence.

"I don't even see what's so good about you. What, your hair colour? Your stupid dancing? It's all pointless, if you ask me."

She blinked down at her entwined hands.

"Why do you mean so much to him? You're just a drug addict – a stripper, a whore, emotionally abusive to others and physically abusive to yourself. Why are you still _here?_"

And Satsuki knew that it only hurt so much because it was the truth.

"…I just want to be the one he wants more than anything…"

She found her voice, "You are."

"Ha! So cruel, even to me," scoffed the woman, "giving me hope where there is none."

And after that, Satsuki shut her mouth and didn't say a peep.

Daiki and Taiga returned to the TV on full blast in the otherwise silent apartment.

Kagami knew something was up as they began to eat. The sly looks Alex sent Satsuki – the little smirks and barely contained chuckles.

"What did you do?" he murmured to her as Daiki attempted (and failed) to start a conversation with his childhood friend.

"Nothing," she said too quickly, shoving a large portion of food into her mouth.

He knew she was lying, but he didn't want to make a scene.

* * *

Halfway through dinner, Satsuki mumbled thanks and excused herself to her room.

* * *

Forehead, stained the optimistic yellow of the guest room.

* * *

She started a little notebook for all the rhymes stuck in her head. Every day the collection grew and grew and grew, filled with old riddles and new ones, all short, and most quite disturbing.

And sometimes she wished that she didn't struggle every day, just to get up out of bed, to will herself to practice, to eat and wash and _be_ normal.

* * *

When she found out Kise had tried the drugs she'd been on – she saw red.

He came over and she launched herself at him, hitting and kicking and shouting her throat raw, tears of frustration burning at her eyes, sobs wracking her frame.

Daiki only just managed to pull her off him and she cried out – "I hate you!", "You stupid, stupid bastard!", "You fucking whore, Kise!"

And, "You don't want to turn into a lowlife like me! For the love of god, you have no reason to hate yourself – you still have your will to live, so go and take advantage of it, goddamnit!"

* * *

Later, he knocked on her door and entered.

They sat on her bed in silence – and then he leant forward and kissed her.

It wasn't lust, or love – or anything other than his apology. He was sorry, he didn't mean to hurt her, he was being stupid.

"I'm sorry, Momoicchi," he whispered, raising a hand to touch her cheek.

"Don't do it again, Ryouta," she breathed, "be stronger than I was. Turn away and _please – _never look back. Promise me?"

"I promise."

* * *

It was a raining on the day that she remembered – she had a degree in statistics and law.

* * *

And she didn't really care about the convenient retirement of the CEO. All she knew was that she was a prime candidate, and that the old woman who had once been in charge had taken a liking to her.

* * *

"Impressive," Alex whistled as they sat in Kagami's penthouse spa together, "so you're some big-shot now?"

Satsuki laughed – a real laugh, hearty and happy.

"I guess so. I mean, I'll never be Tokyo's number one detective or anything…"

"Oh har-har! Shut up, you!"

Ever since she'd picked up her act, Satsuki found a friendship she'd never thought could possibly exist – with Alex, of all people. Somehow the blonde seemed to tolerate her, even seemed to properly care about what she had to say.

* * *

Aomine watched Himuro and Kagami.

He wasn't the most sensitive of men – but even he felt the tension between them, saw the barely repressed glares of the redhead and the strange gloominess of the dark haired lawyer.

Something wasn't right – and he had no idea how to set anything straight.

* * *

"Oi, Bakagami," said Daiki as they drove to Head Office.

"What?" grunted his partner.

"What's up with you and Himuro?"

* * *

She noticed it, too.

Tatsuya worked in the criminal law department, and often had to run cases past her to get them approved. He looked defeated – so utterly crushed and upset, that Satsuki decided to confront him about it.

"Ah, come in!" she called from her desk after the knock on her door.

"You asked to see me," said the tall man.

She nodded and motioned for him to sit.

"Now," she began, leaning forward slightly, "I know I should be talking about your latest case – but I called you here as a friend, instead."

He looked confused.

"Look," she sighed, "I know we're not close, Himuro-san. I know you probably have nothing but contempt for what I've done to your friends in the past. But please listen to me when I say that you won't get anywhere if you don't speak up."

"Speak up about what, Momoi-san?"

The woman sighed and leaned back in her chair, "You tell me."

He paused – and he knew that her calculating gaze wouldn't accept his lies.

"I've loved her since high school, you know?"

"Who?"

"Alex."

"O-Oh. Shit."

"Yeah. Shit."

* * *

"H-Hey, Dai-chan?" began Satsuki, twiddling her thumbs.

"What?" he yawned from the couch.

She knew she shouldn't have said a word – but it was eating away at her. Every time she closed her eyes she saw Tatsuya's downcast face.

"I spoke to Tatsuya last week."

"Eh?"

Navy met pink.

Daiki cursed loudly.

* * *

"Kagamin?"

"Hm?"

"I have an important question to ask you."

"Shoot."

"Do you love Alex?"

"…y-yes I do. I do. Most definitely. Of course."

* * *

Daiki had given her the job of talking to Alex.

It was the most nerve wracking thing she'd felt she ever had to do. All her life she was surrounded by boys and basketballs, men in clubs and male cousins.

Alex, aside from the rough Riko, was one of her only female friends – and the only affectionate one at that.

"A-Alex," began Satsuki, fidgeting with the sleeves of her shirt.

"Spit it out, Kiki," huffed the blonde as she moved a chess piece across the board.

Satsuki made her move and went on to say, "Have you noticed anything different about Tatsuya lately?"

A few moves passed before the woman replied, "Maybe. I dunno."

The pinkette sighed and massaged her temples, "He's been down lately – I probably wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't for our close proximity at work."

"Is that so?" the blonde's tone was suddenly too innocent.

"Yeah. Got any idea why?"

"Nope."

And because she was so scared, she didn't try pushing her.

"Alright then. Maybe I'll ask Kagamin."

"N-No, don't say anything to him about that!" Alex suddenly exclaimed, face flushed pink.

Satsuki paused, frowning, "Are you alright? Why can't I ask him – I mean, they're best friends-"

"Just _don't!_"

"A-Ale-"

"If you value our friendship,

* * *

then you'll keep your mouth shut. Got it, Momoi?"

"…okay."

* * *

Fingernails, crusted with dark red.

* * *

"Taiga," she spoke, voice shaking.

"What is it? Are you alright?"

She shook her head, trembling. "Please talk to Tatsuya. Please."

A sharp glare, mouth pulled into a frown. "No."

"B-But…" she trailed off, remembering Alex's words.

"But _what?"_

She supposed she should have stayed silent – but then again, she never really had a strong will.

"…just thought you were brothers, s'all."

Satsuki ignored his harsh breaths as she turned and walked back to Daiki, holding out his car keys, "Let's go."

* * *

"Taiga's been acting strange, lately," Alex sighed, feet dangling off the end of Daiki's couch.

"Really?" murmured Satsuki, busy painting her nails in hopes they'd make the crusted red beneath them unseeable.

"Yeah. I don't know what's gotten into him… you didn't say anything to him, did you?"

Satsuki raised a brow, "No," it was effortless, "I didn't."

* * *

Forehead, stained the yellow of the wall beside the guest bed.

"_M-Momoicchi… please help me."_

"Of course, baka."

* * *

"Here," she handed the model a cup of hot chocolate, "counter a low with some cocoa."

He smiled sadly up at her, "I don't know how you ever did it alone, Momoicchi."

She shrugged and took a seat beside him, tucking her knees to her chest, "It was the worst period of my life. I wouldn't wish it upon anybody."

She flicked on the TV – to an episode of the Secret Diary of A Call Girl.

"You're not the bad person you make yourself out to be, you know?"

Satsuki shrugged and smiled, "I dunno, Ki-chan. You haven't been inside my head."

"Oh! I'd like that!"

"No," a sad giggle, "you wouldn't."

* * *

Only that night, after her talk with Kise, she realised that she hadn't danced in over a month.

* * *

"So, Kiki," began Alex, taking a sip from her coffee.

"Hm?" hummed the pinkette, wiping sleep out of her eyes.

"I think I found out why Taiga's been acting up for the past week."

"Oh?" for once, thankful for her ability to lie.

"Yeah. You must've talked to him."

Silence.

"Huh," a cold laugh, "guess you really are as bad as you make yourself to be. Lie all you want, Satsuki, but not to me."

Silence.

"Why'd you talk to him, anyway? Don't tell me you're still interested in him?"

Silence.

"Ugh. Just – stay out of my business, okay?"

And Satsuki said nothing as her friend stood and walked away.

* * *

She moved the furniture in Daiki's living room and twirled around in her leotard and ballet shoes.

* * *

Alex didn't answer her texts or calls.

* * *

_Itchy…itchy…scratchy…_

* * *

"Midorin, I need your help," she admitted, showing up to his doorstep when it was almost dark.

"Tch. Momoi, what're you doing here – there's no way you could get home before dinner. "

Her tights stuck uncomfortably to her lower legs, her wrists were burning beneath the long jacket she wore.

She looked up at him wordlessly, and with a sigh he opened the door, "Takao's in the shower."

Later, on the couch, she rolled up her bloody tights and took of her shoes, discarding her jacked before she rolled up her sleeves.

"I don't know how to stop," she bit out as he stared and stared.

And the running water from the shower stopped and still, he stared. Satsuki was anxious, she could feel it gnawing at her, her fingers twitched and she shuffled in her seat, suddenly self-conscious.

She glanced around, knee bopping, teeth biting into her bottom lip, wrists – stinging.

"Stop," his tone was strangely detached.

Jolting out of her thoughts, she glanced down to her hands, and frowned when she realised she'd started scratching at the already open wounds.

"Shin-chaaaaaann!" came Takao's whine as he traipsed into the silent living room, nothing but a towel around his waist.

"Good evening, Takao," nodded Satsuki, painfully aware of the metallic taste in her mouth – no doubt from her viciously chewed lip.

For a moment he said nothing, just stared between the two old friends.

"I'll get the first aid kit."

And when he returned he shoved the box into Midorima's hands, grunting, "Fix it up, doc," before he sat on a nearby couch and began talking to their patient.

Satsuki was grateful for the distraction – because looking at Takao meant she didn't have to look at the blood being swiped away, didn't have to watch as the painful medical wipes swiped along her arms and ankles.

She almost burst into tears when she finally comprehended that she _welcomed_ the pain.

"So, Sa-chan," began Takao, "what's been happening recently?" _why have you scratched yourself to scraps?_

"It's complicated to explain." _It's hard for me to talk about it_.

"I'm all ears." _Let me help you_.

Before she could respond, Midorima spoke up again, "Does Aomine know you're here?"

She shook her head as he finished wrapping her up in bandages. He clicked his tongue and pulled out his cell phone, moving to another room to make a call.

"You know Alex?" blurted Satsuki suddenly.

Takao nodded, "I know of her."

"_Well it's really complicated I mean Kagami is dating her but Tatsuya's in love with her and I honestly don't think she knows which one she wants and I asked Kagami if he loved her and he hesitated and said it about four times as though he were trying to convince himself but Alex asked me not to talk to him about it but I _did_ talk to him about it and now she hates me again and I don't know what to do-_" she ran out of breath and stared at him with wide eyes as she panted.

Stunned and possibly a little scared at the look on her face, Takao sat back in his seat and sighed, "Sa-chan has herself in a bit of a pickle, no?"

She flopped back onto the sofa and pressed the heel of her palms against her eyelids.

"…yeah."

* * *

She was to sleep over at Midorima's house – it being too late for her to get home any other way. It didn't surprise her that Takao and Midorin slept in the same bed, leaving her to have the bed that would have been Takao's.

Speaking to Takao about it the whole night was somewhat soothing. She figured that she should have been honest with Alex – and should apologise properly for it.

But she still couldn't figure out – even with Takao – how to fix the rift between Himuro and Kagami.

* * *

"You could have told me yourself that you were going to Midorima's," Aomine grunted as they lounged about the next rainy day.

She shrugged, "I was a little frantic. I forgot."

"Frantic?" he yawned lazily, stretching in the spot that he occupied on the couch.

Wordlessly, she reached into the pocket of her overly large, baggy sweater and grabbed the large swath of bandages.

She wasn't going to hide from him anymore.

"Can you help me clean and change my bandages?"

He shuffled over to her and didn't make a peep as she unwrapped her ankles and wrists and held out the medical wipes for him to use on her.

* * *

"Alex," her throat felt tight, "I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to betray your trust. I just couldn't stand seeing it all unfold before me. I'll stay out of it now."

The blonde blinked at her across the table, completely silent.

And then after a moment, she smiled.

"You're not that bad after all, Kiki."


End file.
